STAND. COM. REP. NO. 311

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 302

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 302 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Improve workforce development in Hawaii by establishing a state YouthBuild Program under the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations;

(2) Authorize the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to award grants to eligible nonprofit or public entities to meet the matching funds requirement for federal YouthBuild grant awards; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Your Committee finds that YouthBuild is a federal workforce development program that provides employment, education, leadership development, and training opportunities to disadvantaged and low-income youth between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four. Program participants receive education services that may lead to a high school diploma or general educational development, as well as occupational skills training. Your Committee further finds that developing a state program to assist entities in qualifying for federal YouthBuild program grants will maximize the potential for youth in the State to benefit from those federal funds and benefit the community at large.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 302, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 302, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Government Operations,

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair